Cooling apparatus



Feb. il, Il. H, W, KLE|5T 2,231,012'

COOLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 23, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 11, l. H, w. KLr-ils'r COOLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 23, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 i I l Inf/872250? jzfecwz WZezQS.

.Patented 55.113941' y y l y. 2,231,012- ,l

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE COOLING APPARATUS Herman W. Kleist, Chicago, Ill., assgnor to Dole Refrigerating Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois v Application December 23, 1938, Serial No; 247,458

' 8 Claims. (Cl. 62'-99) This invention relates to cooling apparatus and hausted therefrom, so as to cause the plates to has for its object to provide a new and improved tightly contact the pipe between them. There device of this description. p may be a eutectic fluid partially filling the space The invention has as a further object to probetween the plates, if desired, but there should vide a cooling or refrigerating apparatus parbe left a space empty of the eutectic fluid so as 5 ticularly adapted for a cooling cabinet converto allow for the expansion thereof when it consion unit. The invention shown in this appligeals and to allow for the proper exhaustion of cation is an improvement on my Patent No. air between the sheets. The pipe or coil 4 is 2,166,161,` issued July 18, 1939. located in the space between the sheets of plate The invention has as a further object to pro- I, the pipe or coil 5 in the space between the 10 vide a cooling or refrigerating apparatus consheets of plate 2 and the pipe or coil 6 in the sisting of a series of plates with refrigerating space between the sheets of plate 3. coils in them and means for adjustably connect-` The several plates are adjustably connected ing these plates together, so that they may be together. As herein shown, there are projecting made up in the factory and shipped to the point parts 1, 8 and 9, one projecting from each plate, 15 of use and place in cabinets varying in size, the and adjustable uniting devices are connected to device being arranged so kthat the connections these projecting parts. In the construction are all on the outside. shown, for example, the projecting parts 1 and The invention has as a further object to pro- 8 of the plates I and 3 are connected together vide a cooling or refrigerating apparatus of the at one end by the Overlapping members l0 and 20 type herein set out where the inlets and the ll, and at the Other end by the Overlapping outlets for the refrigerant are on the outside of members I2 and I3. These overlapping memthe device, so as to eliminate any connections bers having registering slots I4 through which inside of the cabinet, thereby making it easier pass suitable fastening devices, such as the bolts to install and decreasing the danger of leakage l5 and I6. The plates 2 and 3 are united by 25 occurring in any of the fittings. similar uniting devices consisting of the over- The invention has further objects which are lapping members ll, I8. I9 and 20, which have more particularly set out in the accompanying similar registering slots I4 therein and which description. are connected together by the bolts 2l. It will Referring now to the drawings, be seen that by loosening the bolts in these unit- 30 Fig. l is a top View of the apparatus ready to ing devices, the plates may be IIOVed tOWaI'd be inserted in the cabinet; and from each other to adjust them to fit into Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts broken the Cabinet and the lOOlS may then be tightaway; ened, so as to hold the parts` in fixed relation- Fig, 3 is an end View 0f the device with parts ship. It will be noted that there-is both lateral 35 omitted; and longitudinal adjustment. The longitudinal Fig. 4 is a perspective view with parts broken adjustment is secured by having the overlapping away; members provided with bent ends 22, 23, 24 and Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on 25 and these, or the projections on the plates, 40 the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, with parts omitted; may be provided with slots 26, see Fig. 2, or they 40 Fig. 6 is a side View of the cabinet, with parts may both be provided with registering slots. broken away; and Bolts 21 and 28 pass through these slots and Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line through openings in the parts l, 8 and 9. It 'I-l of Fig. 6. will be seen that by loosening the bolts, the Like numerals refer to like parts throughout uniting devices may be moved toward and from 45 the several figures. the plates to adjust the device longitudinally Referring now to the drawings, wherein I have to t into the cabinet. shown one form of device embodying the inven- Means is provided for passing a suitable retion, there is illustrated a series of plates I, 2 frigerant through the coils between the sheets and 3. These plates are each made up of a of the several plates. I prefer to arrange the 50 pair of sheets of metal, each pair of sheets havparts so that the refrigerating apparatus will ing aspace between them. There is a pipe in form a self-contained unit which requires no this space preferably formed into a coil which connections inside of the unit or between the extends back and forth in the space. The plates plates which need to be adjusted or loosened are preferably hermetically sealed and air exor tampered with in any way. The parts are 55 preferably arranged so that there are only two connections to be made, one the inlet for the admission of the refrigerant material for the cooling coil and the other the outlet for the discharge of the refrigerant material from the cooling coil, both being on the outside of the unit so as to be easily accessible and easily controlled.

In the construction shown the refrigerant material from the compressor passes Vthrough the conduit 29 to the expansion valve 30 and then passes through the conduit 3l to the shut-off valve 38 and then to the conduit 32 and through the plate 2 and also through the center plate 3. The conduit 32 is then looped at a point between the plates i and 3, as shown at 32a. The conduit then passes into the plate I connect,- ing with the coil 4 in between the sheets of this plate. The refrigerant material then passes through this coil and then passes out into conduit 33. The conduit 33 is provided with a loop 33a between the plates i and 3. The conduit then passes through the plate 3, see Fig. 4. The conduit 33 then passes into the plate 2 connecting with the pipe or coilv 5 between the sheets of plate 2. The refrigerant material then passes through the coil or pipe 5 and then out into the conduit 34, which conduit extends into the space between the plates 2 and 3, and there is formed in the conduit 3d, between these plates, a loop 34a. The conduit 34 then passes into the plate 3 and connects with the pipe or coil 3 located in the space between the sheets of plate 3. The refrigerant material then passes out of plate 3 into the conduit 35. This conduit is provided between the plates 2 and 3 with a loop 35a and then passes through the plate 2 and into the return conduit 36, and is returned to the source of refrigerant supply. There is a shut-off valve 3l on the outside of the unit for shutting o the connection between the conduits 35 and 36 and there is a shut-on valve 38 for shutting o the connection or the admission of the refrigerant material to the conduit 32.

Air is exhausted :from between the sheets of the plates by applying the air withdrawing device to the nipples or bibs 33. y

The loops in the various conduits may be of any shape or form and are for the purpose of permitting the parts to be adjusted toward and from each other without having any adjustable connections, as the loops expand or contract when pressure is applied to the plates, 'so as to easily permit their adjustment with relation to each other.

The unit is made up in the factory and is sent out to be placed in the cabinet and the parts are adjusted at the point of installment, to t the particular cabinet, and placed in the cabinet. The cabinet 40 may be any of the usual cabinets and is of insulating material. 'I'he expansion valve and shut-oi valves and connectionsA are preferably placed between the walls of the cabinet, as shown in Fig. 7. When the expansion valve and shut-'off valves are placed between the wall of the cabinet, as shown in Fig. '7, there is provided an opening and a recess in the wall of the cabinet so that these parts can be inserted, preferably from the top, when the cover portion 4i is moved out of the way, or is not in place. Insulating material 42 may then be placed in the recess so as to preserve the insulating effect of the cabinet. The recess is provided With a door or a removable section 43 of the cabinet, to Secure access to the expansion valve and shut-on valves and associated parts.

When it is desired to connect the unit with the refrigerating apparatus, it is only necessary to connect the conduit 29 leading from the refrigerating apparatus to the expansion valve by means of the nut 44, and connect the conduit 36 leading back tothe refrigerating apparatus by the nut 45 to the connection leading to the shutolf valve 31 and to then open the shut-01T valves 31 and 38.

The admission of the refrigerant to the pipes in the plates is controlled in the usual manner by a bulb 46 placed in a suitable location in the unit, and which is connected to the expansion valve by the tube 4l. Where the conduits pass through the center plates 3, holes 48 are provided and these holes are hermetically sealed around the edges so that a vacuum can be maintained inside of the plate. The points where the conduits pass into the plates i and 2 are also hermetically sealed.

The expansion valve and shut-oil.' valves are supported on the outer plate 2 in any desired manner. One construction for accomplishing this purpose is illustrated in the drawings, the details of which are shown in Fig. 5. In this construction, there is an opening through the plate 2 which is hermetically `sealed all around its periphery and there is a threaded sleeve 49 inserted in this opening and fastened in position in any desired manner, as by welding, soldering or the like. The end of the conduit 35 is attached to the sleeve 49 in any desired manner, preferably by means of a permanent joint, such as welding, brazing, or the like. 'I'he shut-off valve 3l has a nipple or part which is threaded into the threaded end of the sleeve 39 opposite to that to which the conduit 35 is attached, so as to be on the outside of the plate. 'I'here is a similar sleeve 50 passing through a similar opening in the plate 2,"the sleeve being secured to the plate and the opening through which the sleeve passes by beingr hermetically sealed. The conduit 32 is connected with the sleeve 53 in any desired manner, being preferably connected thereto Vas by welding, brazing or the like. The shut-o valve 38 is connected to a part which is screwed into the other end of the sleeve 50, that is on the outside of the plate 2. 'I'he expansion valve is supported by the connection from the shut-olf valve 3B or some part associated therewith.

The conduits with their loops are preferably 1ocated at the middle'of the unit and are protected by plates 5i and 52 on opposite sides thereof, see Fig. 1. The cabinet is preferably divided into sections for holding the ice cream cans 53, preferably by wire cross members 5d.

By having no adjustable or other form of connections or fittings on the inside of the cabinet that need to be adjusted or loosened or separated, it is only necessary, if it is desired to shut oi the cabinet, to shut off the two shut-oif-valves and then the refrigerant material remains in the pipes in the plates and there can be no leakage, By having all the removable connections on the outside, it will be seen that these connections can be adjusted or taken off and the parts repaired or replaced` by simply shutting off the shut-oli` valves. It will be noted that in this construction the refrigerant material is rst passed through the pipe in the outside plate l. It is then passed through the pipe in the outside plate 2 and is lastly passed through the pipe in the intermediate or middle plate 3. This gives a uniform coldness or temperature extending over the entire unit, thus securing an even refrigeration of the ice cream or other material.

I claim:

l. A cooling cabinet conversion unit comprising a plurality of separated plates, each made up of a pair of sheets with a space between them, a pipe extending back and forth in the space of each of said plates, through which refrigerant material is circulated, adjustable uniting devices connecting the plates together so as to permit the plates to be moved relatively to adjust them to proper positions to fit into a cabinet, adjustable conduits connecting the pipes in the several plates together, one of said conduits having an inlet end and another of said conduits having an outlet end extending to the outer wall of one of the outer plates, a shut-off valve for said inlet and a shut-off valve for said outlet, both of said shut-off valves being on the outside of said one of said plates, and means for connecting said inlet and outlet to a refrigerant circulating device.

2. A cooling cabinet conversion unit comprising a plurality of separated plates, each made up of a pair of sheets with a space between them, a pipe extending back and forth in the space of each of said plates, through which refrigerant material is circulated, adjustable uniting devices connecting the plates together so as to permit the plates to be moved relatively to adjust them to proper positions to iit into a cabinet, adjustable conduits connecting the pipes in the several plates together, one of said conduits having an inlet end and another of said conduits having an outlet end extending to the outer wall of one of the outer plates, a shut-off valve for said inlet and a shut-off valve for said outlet, both of said shut-off valves being on the outside of said one of said plates, an expansion valve connected with said inlet, supporting devices for supporting said shut-off valves and expansion valve on said outer plate, and means for connecting said inlet and outlet 4to a refrigerant circulating device.-

3. A cooling cabinet conversion unit comprising an intermediate plate and two outer plates, each made up of a pair of sheets with a space between them, a pipe extending back and forth in the space of each of said plates, through which refrigerant material is circulated, adjustable uniting devices connecting the plates together so as to permit the plates to be moved relatively to adjust them to proper positions to t into a cabinet, adjustable conduits connecting the pipes in the several plates together, said intermediate plate being provided with openings sealed entirely around their periphery and through which said conduits pass, one of said conduits having an inlet end and another of said conduits having an outlet end extending to the outer wall of one of the outer plates, a shut-off valve for said inlet and a shut-off valve for said outlet, both of said shut-off valves being on the outside of said one of said plates, and means for connecting and disconnecting said inlet and outlet to a refrigerant circulating device.

4. A device of the kind described comprising an insulated cabinet, a plurality of separated plates, each made up of a pair of sheets with a space between them, a pipe extending back and forth in the space of each of said plates, through which refrigerant material is circulated, adjustable uniting devices connecting the plates together so as to permit the plates to be moved relatively to adjust them to proper positions to lit into said cabinet, adjustable conduits connecting the pipes in the several plates together, one of said conduits having an inlet end and another of said conduits having an outlet end extending to the outer wall of one of the outer plates, a shut-off valve for said inlet and a shut-ofi valve for said outlet, both of said shut-off valves being on the outside of said one of said plates, an expansion valve connected with said inlet, supporting devices for supporting said shut-off valves and expansion valve on said outer plate, and means for connecting said inlet and outlet to a refrigerant circulating device, said plates being arranged in said insulated cabinet and said cabinet having a recess into which the shut-off valves and expansion valve are received.

5. A cooling cabinet conversion unit comprislng an intermediate plate and two outer plates, each made up of a pair of sheets with a space between them, a pipe extending back and forth in the space of each of said plates, through which refrigerant material is circulated, adjustable uniting devices connecting the plates together so as to permit the plates to be moved relatively to adjust them to proper positions to lit into a cabinet, adjustable condiuts connecting the pipes in the several plates together, said intermediate plate being provided with openings sealed entirely around their periphery and through which said conduits pass, one of said conduits having a main inlet and another of said conduits having a main outlet, both said inlet and outlet being connected with said one of said outer plates, the conduit connected with said main inlet passing through the intermediate plate and being connected with the inletl end of the pipe in the other outer plate, a conduit connected with the outlet end of the said pipe, said conduit passing through said intermediate plate and connecting with the inlet of the pipe in the first mentioned outer plate, the outlet of said latter pipe being connected to a conduit connecting with the inlet end of the pipe in said intermediate plate, the outlet end of said latter pipe being connected with the main outlet of the device.

6. A cooling cabinet conversion unit comprising an intermediate plate and two outer plates, each made up of a pair of sheets with a space between them, a pipe extending back and forth in the space of each of said plates, through which refrigerant material is circulated, and connections between the plates for circulating the refrigerant material first through the pipe on one `of the outside plates, then through the pipe in the other outside plate and lastly through the pipe in the intermediate plate.

7. A cooling cabinet conversion unit comprising a plurality of separated plates, each made up of a pair of sheets with a hermetically sealed space between them, a pipe extending back and forth in the space of each of said plates, through which refrigerant material is circulated, air being exhausted from the space between said sheets so as to cause them to press tightly against a pipe in said space, adjustable uniting devices connecting the plates together so as to permit the plates to be moved relatively to adjust them to proper positions to fit into the cabinet, adjustable conduits connecting the pipes in the several plates together, one of said conduits having an inlet end and another of said conduits having an outlet end extending to the outer wall of one of the outer plates, a shut-off valve for said inlet and a shut-olf valve for said outlet, both of said forth in the space of each of said plates, through which refrigerant material is circulated, the space between said sheets being partially lled with a eutectic solution, air being exhausted from the space between said sheets so as to cause them to press tightly against the pipe in said space, adjustable uniting devices connect` ing the plates together so as to permit the plates to be moved relatively to adjust them to proper positions to t into a cabinet, adjustable conduits vconnecting the pipes in the several plates together, one of said conduits having an inlet end 5 and another of said conduits having an outlet end extending to the outer wall of one of the outer plates, a shut-o valve for said inlet and a shut-oil" valve for said outlet, both of said shut-off valves being on the outside of said one 10 of said plates, and means for connecting said inlet and outlet to a refrigerant circulating device.

HERMAN W. KLEIST. 

